Data security is a paramount concern for many users of electronic devices, such as computers. Many users store data, not only in internal storage, but also on removable storage devices (e.g., removable or external flash drives) due in part to the portability and convenience of the removable storage devices. Many users often store sensitive information, including, for example, confidential and/or valuable information (e.g., personal information, financial records, intellectual property, etc.), on removable storage devices, wherein such users can desire that their information be secured from undesired and/or unauthorized access by other users. For instance, a user's removable storage device may be lost or stolen, and, if the information is not desirably secured on the removable storage device, an unauthorized entity may obtain possession of the removable storage device and access the user's information stored therein.
Conventionally, there have been attempts to secure data on Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives, wherein data being stored in the USB flash drive can be encrypted and secured, and wherein a password is provided to the USB flash drive in order to access and decrypt the data stored on the USB flash drive. One drawback to securing data based on a password is that the password can be hacked at least eventually, particularly when the entity attempting to access the data stored on the drive is able to possess the drive for a significant period of time. Other types of solutions include using smart-card-based or biometric-based data encryption to secure data stored on a USB flash drive. One drawback of such solutions is that an undesirable amount (e.g., heavy) user intervention is required to operate the data security aspects of these types of solutions. Another drawback is that such solutions do not allow for simultaneously accessing of data stored on a USB flash device, automatically converting a USB flash drive to a secured encryption removable storage device, and automatically mounting the secured encryption removable storage device.
Accordingly, today, there is no way to reliably secure data stored on a removable storage device without requiring the user to provide a password in order to access and encrypt/decrypt data on the removable storage device. Moreover, conventional data security solutions (e.g., solutions using smart-card-based or biometric-based encryption) that secure data in a removable storage device are inconvenient.
The above-described deficiencies of today's data security systems for removable storage are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art and corresponding benefits of some of the various non-limiting embodiments may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.